27 Best Hostels in Taiwan – Island Hostels, Backpacker Fun and your Itinerary Map

27 Best Hostels in Taiwan - Island Hostels, Backpacker Fun and Itinerary
Photo by Remi Yuan

A handpicked collection of all the best hostels in Taiwan. From Taipei over Taichung, Sun Moon Lake all the way to Kaohsiung; we list the absolute top Taiwan Hostels. We even checked out cool island hostels for you.

All featured accommodations are handpicked by us.

We visited these places, and had a close look for you. It makes them the greatest hostels in Taiwan.

Overview: Best Hostels by Traveler Type

🏙️ Best Hostel in Tapei:WOW Poshtel
🚢 Best Hostel in Kaohsiung:With Inn Hostel
🏞️ Best Hostel in Hualien:Hualien Wow Hostel
🎷 Best Hostel in Taichung:Stray Birds Hostel
🎒 For Backpackers in Taipei: Ximen Wow
🚣 Best Hostel for Nature Lovers in Sun Moon Lake: Perbed Hostel
👩‍❤️‍👨 Best Hostel for Couples in Taipei:Star Hostel
😍 Best Design hostel in Taipei: Meander Taipei Hostel

Money-saving tip: Compare hostel prices with Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld, Booking.com and others with 1 click.

Welcome to the most outstanding and greatest Hostels in Taiwan! All these hostels are brought to you by us, the Hostelgeeks.

Are these the best Hostels in Taiwan?

Yes. And again, Yes!

Finding really cool hostels in Taiwan can be hard.

They differ quite a lot from hostels in Europe or South-East Asia. Some Taiwan hostels you find are only shared-accommodations, but have no social vibes to meet travelers.

We wanted to change this a bit, and make it easier for you to separate the wheat from the chaff.

This guide is perfect for YOU, when you…

  • are tired of crappy hostels!
  • want a social Hostel to actually meet people
  • are happy to spend $1 to $2 more for a much better experience

What we cover in this article:

This map will help you to plan your backpacking Taiwan. I love to use maps when I am planning my travels. So I hope it helps you too.

I also added my favorite sights, things to do in Taiwan and even restaurants I personally enjoyed. This map can be your secret weapon!

We cover even more:

You can find all 5 Star Hostels here with Hostelgeeks and all guides to “Best Hostels In” here.

Quick Introduction to Taiwan Hostels

Average price for a bed: Hostels in Taiwan start from 14€ per night up to 25€ per nights for a bed in a dorm. A private room starts from 30€ up to 70€. This is a rough average just to give you an idea.

Bare in mind, weekend days are more expensive, since Taiwanese people love to travel on the weekends and hostels are full. Plan ahead!

Prices always depend on season and holidays. Please always check exact rates on Hostelworld.com or Booking.com.

Check-In and Check Out: The average check-in time is from 15:00 (3pm), while the Check Out time is before 11:00 (11am). Hostels usually offer luggage storage in case you arrive earlier or leave later. Make sure you check if luggage storage is free or if there is an extra cost.

Weekend Travel: Locals love to travel around the island, and they do this obviously on the weekends. Get ready for crowded hostels, crowded buses and trains, and also higher prices for accommodations. If you can, try to move around at the week day, and stay over the weekend, enjoying one area/ city.

Kitchen or actually kitchenette: Many hostels claim to have a kitchen. Truth be told, often it is a Kitchenette with a microwave and little stove, but no facilities to actually properly cook. Bare this in mind.

If you want to cook your own meals, check the photos properly to see if they have an actual kitchen.

Water: No need to buy any water around Taiwan! You can refill your water always for free in the hostels and even temples. Awesome! Bring your own water bottle to refill, and save money and waste!

🎁 New to Hostels? Read our guide to staying in a Hostel for the First Time here. We especially recommend reading:

List of the Best Hostels in Taiwan

Let’s jump right into the cool hostels in Taiwan. For some areas you won’t find any good ones or any hostel at all. In that case we included a lovely guesthouse, camp zone or hotel we enjoyed and recommend. No matter what, this is your guide for where to stay in Taiwan.

Remember, we put all accommodation on the map.

You will find the map at the end of the article. We also included the main places to visit in Taiwan. It helps you to plan your trip.

Best Hostels in Taipei Capital

The biggest city in Taiwan comes with super cool hostels. The absolute best hostels in Taipei are:

  1. Ximen Wow Hostel  – Best Hostels for Female Solo Travelers
  2. Meander Taipei Hostel –  Best Hostel for Solo Travelers
  3. Star Hostel Taipei Main Station – Best Hostels for Small Groups
  4. Extra: WOW Poshtel – best for families

We wrote a big detailed guide to the top hostels in Taipei here.

We also collected 21 fun things to do in Tapei.

Below you see the details to all 4 places.

1. Ximen Wow in Taipei

One of the coolest Youth hostels in Taipei is the Ximen Wow. The hostel is located in the famous Ximen area, perfect for nightlife, shopping and sightseeing actually too.

You have the metro stop just a 3 minutes walk from the hostel, so you are perfectly connected to visit Taipei 101 and other sights.

The staff stands out here, super helpful and fun!

The people staying here are mostly young backpackers.

It is really a great hostel to meet people since there’s always someone around and you only have this stylish living room. So everybody is hanging out here, or at the balcony in front.

A great hostel for:

  • Young Traveler
  • Backpackers
Book Ximen Wow here

Compare rates at: Booking.comHostelworld

Ximen Wow Hostel

2. Meander Hostel

Meander is one of the most beautiful design hostels in Taipei and Asia, for sure. It would be the “most western-type of hostel” in Taipei. Meaning, the way people can meet in the huge common area and the guests.

Most of the guests are from Western countries like USA, Australia, Germany, UK and more. If you want to take things to the next level, definitely best to go to Meander Taipei Hostel.

Just like us, we surely know you’ll love the bathtub. Nothing quite like a perfect bubble bath after a long tiring tour at the city. Amenities you can try at Meander Taipei Hostel:

  • Free and fast WiFi
  • Terrace
  • big and useful Kitchen
  • Huge common area
  • Dart and other games to play
  • huge black board with things to do in Taipei and tours to check

And if you’re extra bored and just want to have fun, there are darts, board games and puzzles available at the games room.

Book Meander Hostel here

Compare prices and read reviews at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Grab a beer or two and enjoy the rooftop terrace at Meander Taipei Hostel

3. Star Hostel in Taipei

#3 on our list to best hostels in Taipei is the Star Hostel.

Rated by Hostelworld as the best hostel in Taiwan, there must be some reason for that. Right? It is located right next to the main train station and a 5 minutes walk from Wow Poshtel, mentioned above. It is quiet, yet social, super stylish, and incredibly clean.

Star Hostel is seriously one of the most impressive hostels we have seen.

Perfect for:

  • couples
  • female solo-traveller
Book Star Hostel here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

STAR Hostel, one of the best hostels in Taipei

4. Wow Poshtel in Taipei

Run by local people with local passion, this 5 Star Hostel has wonderfully transformed an old hotel into a green, locally-centred hostel in the heart of a vibrant and culturally sound environment.

The location is very good. The hostel is inside a small, quiet alley, so perfect to actually sleep well at night, away from the traffic or nightlife.

Around the corner you find a night market, restaurants and bars.

The best hostel in Taiwan for:

  • Digital Nomads
  • Families
  • Groups
  • Quiet seekers
Book Wow Poshtel here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Beimen WOW Poshtel - 60s hotel turns into 5 Star Hostel

Best Hostels in Taichung: Stray Birds Hostel

Located right around the corner of Calligraphy Greenway, the Stray Birds Hostel stands out from all the best hostels in Taichung.

Stray Birds Taichung is one of the few hostels that made a HUGE common area for the guests to socialize, read, chill and even cook. Besides the huge common area with its own little reading area, they also have a huge roof top terrace with great views. In summer it is absolutely amazing here!

They also sell drinks like cola and beer at a good price, no need to go the supermarket.

Stray Birds comes with a huge, proper kitchen. The rooms are located separately from the common area, which makes it even better. The bathrooms are super clean, and spacious.

While the rooms itself are great, and the mattresses are comfortable, the blankets are worth it to mention. The blankets are tiny – for some reason. It feels like these are made for kids. So that was the only downside and a bit annoying during the night.

Book Stray Birds here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Best Hostels in Taichung: StrayBird Hostel Best Hostels in Taichung: StrayBird Hostel

Best Hostels in Puli Township: Puli Center Center Hostel

Puli Center Center Hostel – yes you read that correctly – is a two-person run hostel in the heart of Taiwan.

If you’re looking for warmth, beauty and quirky added extras, you have hit the jackpot.

This small oasis has plenty to offer, and the staff are passionate to introduce you to, well; everything!

From Puli Township you can take numerous bike trips, including a scenic bike 20km ride to the Sun Moon Lake.

The Sun Moon Lake is worth it to visit! We recommend cycling around – you will be away from the big tourist crowds and an explore few temples and nature. It takes you around 4 hours around the Sun Moon lake by bike.

Book Puli Hostel here

Compare rates at: Booking.comHostelworld

Community connections at Puli Center Center Taiwan

Best Hostels in Sun Moon Lake: Perbed Hostel

Do you actually want to stay near the Lake?

Then we have here your answer to where to stay at Sun Moon Lake.

Perbed Hostel is the best hostel right at Sun Moon Lake.

It is a cute, little hostel directly near the lake. The hostel organizes Paddle Surf and other trips to the lake.

The hostel is usually more packed during the weekend, so make sure you book ahead of time.

You can choose between staying in the little tents or the dorms.

Book Perbed Hostel here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Per bed Hostel, best hostels in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Best Hostels in Kaohsiung: WithInn Hostel

With Inn Hostel is a beautiful traditional Taiwanese building located in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.

The With Inn Hostel is the smallest 5 Star Hostel in the world, offering 3 different rooms. The guests are impressed by the outstanding breakfast, and we are fascinated by the positive energy.

The location is perfect in Kaohsiung. You are right next to the famous Night Market, yet in a quiet side-street. This is great since there is no street noise or anything alike at night.

Make sure you ask the team for their recommendations on things to do in Kaohsiung.

There is amazing Tiger Temples, the Island for sun set, a coffee with 3D Cream-Design (yep, that’s right!). Here is a complete guide on best things to do in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Make sure you read it. There is much more than you might expect.

This city is not to underestimate. We even rent a scooter to drive to the famous Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.

Book WithInn Hostel here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Good morning from With Inn, the best hostel in Kaohsiung The Best Hostels in the world: With Inn Hostel Kaohsiung, 5 Star Hostel!

Best Hostels in Luiqiu Island: Camp Zone

As for the Luiqiu Island, we have found a super cool and special accommodation we really enjoyed.

Camp Zone is a kind of camping ground, but more in direction of glamping.

From their restaurant and terrace you have a beautiful ocean view, and the staff is absolutely amazing, helping you wherever they can.

You can take a ferry from Dong Long. Please note that you cannot get cash from the ATMs, so bring enough cash with you to pay for your food, accommodation, activities etc.

You can also find a few hostels in the island. Find all hostels in Luiqiu here.

Book Camp Zone here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Best Hostels in Luiqiu Island: Camp Zone

Best Hostels in Kenting National Park: Kenting Original Hostel

Seriously, a original, social hostel!

At the hostel the rooms come with a terrace. Rooms come complete with a private bathroom equipped with a bath or shower and a hairdryer, while certain rooms at Kenting Original Hostel also feature a seating area.

They also host movie nights and next door you find the Kentung Night Market, endless food stalls, and restaurants.

You are only 5 minutes from the beach. We also like that the hostel is in a little street, away from the noise and cars of the main street.

Book Original Hostel here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Kenting Original Hostel

Best Hostels in Green Island: Hostel Green520

One of our best experiences in Taiwan was visiting Green Island. The island is a 1 hour ferry away from the main land. It is a tiny island with a few hostels, hotels and restaurants, nature reserve and an incredibly beautiful diving spot.

I went diving here; the views are amazing!

We stayed at the Hostel Green520. It is a cute, little hostel with lovely staff. Seriously, it feels like you are staying with friends. They pick you up at the ferry and help you with anything. You are in contact with them via WhatsApp if you want.

So easy! They helped us finding an English Speaking Dive instructor, rent an electric scooter, you name it. It was wonderful! We have meet some cool fellow travellers on the ferry, and we hang out a lot during our 3 day sin Green island.

There is a couple of bars where it is easy to meet and green fellow travel mates.

So, stay at the Hostel Green 520 and you enjoy this little paradise!

Book Hostel Green520 here

Compare rates: Booking.com

Hostels in Green Island

Best Hostels in Hualien: WOW Hualien Hostel

Are you in the need for that WOW factor?

Look no further and let us welcome you to our 5 Star Hostel, Hualien Wow Hostel, in Hualien City, Taiwan.

If you love you art, or appreciate the creativity of others, you will be impressed by just walking around. And that’s before you even step foot in the bedrooms! Wow means home in Chinese, and this is how it feels like.

Location wise you could not be better located. You are right in front of the main train station in Hualien. The hostel is directly at the bus station that takes you to Taroko Gorge.

Book WOW Hualien here

Compare rates at: Booking.com | Hostelworld

Make new friends at Hualien Wow Hostel Welcome to Hualien Wow Hostel in Hualien, Taiwan

Party Hostels in Taiwan

Taiwan is not really a party destination.

Sure, there is fun nightlife in Taipei, Tainan, even in Kenting etc, but you won’t find a hardcore crazy party hostel. For chill-out backpacker hostels Dulan is the best area!

You will find many social hostels and backpacker hostels, for sure. Scroll to the top again and check all hostels we listed here.

Airbnb in Taiwan

Airbnb is popular all around Taiwan. The prices are steep and expensive, compared to other countries. So that was quite surprising.

We thought using Airbnb would be a great way to have a kitchen, but that’s not true. An apartment with a proper kitchen will cost something from 60€.

We once stayed in an Taiwan Airbnb in Taichung. The listing claimed “kitchen”, but when we arrived it was basically a coffee machine, and a stove. We asked the owner and they were kind enough to bring us a cookery and pot so we could actually cook. Bare this in mind.

Besides, we have been told many Airbnb’s are illegal to run anyway. We met a couple in a hostel who got kicked out of their Airbnb apartment in Taiwan.

Our Verdict: Avoid Airbnb in Taiwan.

What about the cheapest hostels in Taiwan?

Of course, there are always cheap hostels. But how do you actually find them? When you are traveling on a shoe-string budget and you want to save every dollar, there are ways to find the cheapest places in Taiwan.

  1. Open Hostelz.com with a full list of all hostels in Taiwan
  2. add your dates
  3. Order the listings by price

Simple as that.

Hostelz.com is a price comparison site for hostels. They list every single one in the world and tells you exactly which website is cheaper to use.

Another smart Tip: Check what is actually included, and what is excluded. Take a closer look at the location, too. A further location might mean more costs in transport.

Any Discounts?

You can find all our hostel discounts worldwide here. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the freshest hostel discounts directly in your inbox. We even have special discount codes we only share in the newsletter.

It is completely free to join!

How to book?

The most popular booking platforms are Booking.com and Hostelworld.com. On both platforms, your credit card is 100% protected and the booking 100% confirmed.

We included some handy links to each of the recommended hostel. Just click on the hostel name. The link will lead you to check prices and availability.

Read: Step-by-Step guide on how to book with Hostelworld

We recommend booking your hostel as early as possible! All of Taiwan best hostels are popular; especially in high-season. To make sure you end up in those stylish and good hostels, secure your room/bed as soon as you have your travel dates fix.

The coolest Hostel App you need comes as well from Hostelworld. It gives you super cool features like you can contact your hostel mates beforehand, ask questions, and make plans together. Find more details in our review of the app.

Download the Hostelworld App here

QR Code to Download your Hostelworld app with one scan
Scan the QR Code with your Smartphone to download the Hostelworld App from the App Store - like a real Hostel Geek!

The best way to find hostels: Hostelgeeks website and Hostelworld App

Need an eSIM Card for Taiwan?

Get your eSIM Card with Airalo.com instantly online. It is easy to set up and cheap! Read our review of Airalo here.

No more searching for mobile stores. Get your eSIM Card for now and enjoy it instantly after landing in your new destination.

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Need an eSIM Card for Taiwan?

Our Favorite Hostels in Taiwan put on a map + sights

Let us have a look on the map. Below we list all best Taiwan hostels on a map.

We also included the main tourist attractions you’ve to know in this list:

  • Taipei 101
  • Sun Moon Lake
  • Juifen Town
  • Hualien
  • Tainans Food Scene

In the map you see we included as well restaurants, cafés, things to do in Taiwan we enjoyed.

(You can activate and deactivate the different layers in the left sidebar. Open the map in a new window here.)

Any questions about hostels in Taiwan? 🤔

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Ask all your questions and connect with like-minded wanderers 🔥

Flights to Taiwan?

Taiwan is very well connected.

It almost makes no difference if you take a flight to Tainan, Kaohsiung or Taipei directly. We took a direct flight to Taipei since it was the cheapest.

Taiwan is also known to the door to Asia for travelers from the USA. You can find really great deals. From Taiwan you find cheap connection flights to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Cebu, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Kuala Lumpur.

We use Skyscanner and Omio.com to find cheap flights and good connections all over the globe.

Skyscanner has a bunch of cool features like Multi-City Trip. Instead of doing this research step-by-step, Skyscanner offers this flight planning tool.

Our Step-by-Step Guide to Skyscanner

review of Skyscanner flight searches

FAQ

Alright, you should have found your accommodation already. Below we list all the frequently asked questions. Have a look.

More guides

Alright, this is your answer to where to stay in Taiwan.

We did the leg work for you and bring you more hostel country guides to destinations:

More Cities we cover are:

You can find all our new and updates articles for Best Hostels in here.

We also created a huge guide to hostels. Here we cover how to build lifetime friendships in hostels, the perfect packing list and more.

Over to you

Do you have any questions left, maybe doubts? Then please leave it in the comment below. We are very keen to help you - and actually you would even do us a favor!

Your question will help us to improve this Taiwan guide.

Last note: Our commitment

This is a genuine article to help you travel a bit smarter, and find the best place on a budget! We will never recommend you any place we haven’t evaluated or are not convinced by. We are constantly updating all our guides to keep them as fresh and accurate as possible.

Safe travels,
The Hostelgeeks

Destination not listed?

That simply means there is currently no 5 Star Hostel. Make sure you check out our guides “best hostels in“. Here we cover many more destinations.

Still not found? Then please let us help you. Just drop us a line and include a fun travel pun!

We will send you over a handpicked hostel recommendation.

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27 Best Hostels in Taiwan - Island Hostels, Backpacker Fun and Itinerary

Closed Hostels

Best Hostels in Tainan: WOW Tainan

Update: Sorry folks, this hostel has permanently closed.

Have a good time at Wow Tainan Hostel, the coolest place to stay in Tainan.

A cute, neat backpacker hostel in Tainan, easy to mingle.

The location could not be better. You are a 10minutes walk from the main train station in Tainan. The main sights in Tainan are in walking distance.

Check out the bike rental. A bike is actually really handy, and easy to get around.

You can also rent a bike with the Easy Card in Tainan. Ask the staff for help.

Wow Tainan in Taiwan - Unplugged Concerts, Yoga Studio and Honesty Shop

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Our Favorite Travel Resources 2024

👏 Booking Hostels: Always find better deals for Hostels on Hostelz.com. They compare prices from Hostelworld and Booking.com.

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